Saalbach Trail & Skyrace: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The 13 Summits Sky Marathon is the full circuit of the Glemm valley over its summits: 47 kilometres, 3,500 metres of climbing and 13 summit crosses, starting and finishing in the middle of Saalbach at around 1,000 metres. It is the headline distance of the Saalbach Trail & Skyrace, and its difficulty does not come from one big climb. It comes from the fact that the course is almost never flat.
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The course, elevation and route profile above are from the most recent edition.
Course & Elevation
From the centre of Saalbach the course goes straight into the longest climb of the day, a good 1,000 metres of ascent up to Schattberg Ost at 2,018 metres. This is the same climb that the Vertical Extreme runs as its own race, and it is done in a little over three kilometres, which tells you how steep it is.
At the top the real character of the race begins: a long ridge run along the south side of the valley. Mittelgipfel, Medalkogel, Saalbachkogel, Stemmerkogel, Hochsaalbachkogel and Hochkogel follow one another, and the high point of the course sits at around 2,267 metres. The links between summits are short and steep, and you rarely run more than a few hundred metres at a constant gradient.
After turning the head of the valley in the west the course crosses to the north side and takes in Manlitzkogel, Staffkogel, Sonnberg, Bärensteigkopf, Spieleckkogel, Leitenkogel, Rabenkopf and Hochalmspitze before dropping back to Saalbach on the last alpine tracks. Start and finish are 182 metres apart, so it is a genuine loop. The lowest point is the start, and the highest sits a good 1,270 metres above it.
Pacing Strategy
The race is decided in the first 45 minutes. The opening climb to Schattberg Ost is steep enough that it feels hard at almost any pace, which is exactly why it tempts you into spending too much. Treat it deliberately as a hike with poles, at a pace you could still hold four hours from now.
On the ridge a different rule applies: you do not gain time with strength, you gain it with rhythm. The short counter-climbs between summits are too short to recover on and too long to run through, and over 13 summits that costs an enormous amount. Settle early into a pattern of brisk hiking on the ups and easy running on the links, instead of renegotiating every climb.
Over 47 kilometres with 3,500 metres of climbing, expect a time closer to double your flat marathon time than one and a half times it. Plan your fuelling around the ridge sections rather than around kilometre marks, because on the ridge two aid stations can easily be 90 minutes apart.
Training plan for Saalbach Trail & Skyrace: 12-week build
The course asks for three things that rarely come together in flat training. First, uphill endurance over many hours: build long sessions of 1,500 to 2,500 metres of climbing, and get at least four or five of them into the last three months. Second, technical confidence downhill, because every one of the 13 summits is followed by a descent on tired legs. Third, the ability to hike efficiently on steep ground. Pole work is not a detail here, it is its own training content.
The single best preparation is a back to back mountain weekend: a long climbing session on Saturday, a medium one on tired legs on Sunday. That reproduces the ridge sections better than any single long run can.
If this is your first time at the distance, talk to the coach about how to structure the last eight weeks, and in particular about how much vertical volume you tolerate. Too much vertical too late is the most common mistake before a skyrace of this length.
Course Map
Profile Parameters
Slope Distribution
Climbs on Route
| Start (km) | Length | Ø Gradient | Max Gradient | Elev Gain | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KM 0.0 | 3.1 km | 32.1% | 56.7% | +995m | HC |
| KM 3.6 | 0.5 km | 28.3% | 56.8% | +142m | Cat. 4 |
| KM 8.1 | 1.6 km | 18.0% | 44.2% | +283m | Cat. 3 |
| KM 11.1 | 1.0 km | 15.1% | 37.1% | +151m | Cat. 4 |
| KM 15.3 | 0.9 km | 20.8% | 44.7% | +198m | Cat. 3 |
| KM 19.7 | 0.9 km | 23.0% | 64.2% | +213m | Cat. 3 |
| KM 27.7 | 1.8 km | 18.3% | 34.6% | +320m | Cat. 2 |
| KM 33.1 | 0.5 km | 31.5% | 52.5% | +142m | Cat. 4 |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
Course as GPX
Download the 13 Summits Sky Marathon course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Adaptive race preparation
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Saalbach Trail & Skyrace dynamically
Ben connects your goal, the course, current load, recovery, and calendar. Your plan stays pointed at race day even when real life is not perfectly plannable.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Saalbach Trail & Skyrace?
Saalbach Trail & Skyrace is 47 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does Saalbach Trail & Skyrace have?
Saalbach Trail & Skyrace has around 3,500 m of elevation gain over 47 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Saalbach Trail & Skyrace?
Saalbach Trail & Skyrace is classified as Mountainous, averaging 75 vertical metres per kilometre. 4% of the route is flat, 12% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 31% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Saalbach Trail & Skyrace have?
The hardest climb of Saalbach Trail & Skyrace starts at kilometre 0, runs for 3.1 km at an average of 32.1% and gains 995 metres. Cycling-convention rating: HC. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Saalbach Trail & Skyrace a loop course?
Yes, Saalbach Trail & Skyrace is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
How should I prepare for Saalbach Trail & Skyrace?
Preparation for Saalbach Trail & Skyrace should account for 47 km, 3,500 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Saalbach Trail & Skyrace?
The pacing strategy for Saalbach Trail & Skyrace should reflect 47 km, 3,500 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Saalbach Trail & Skyrace next take place?
No date has been announced for the next edition yet. The most recent one was held on August 15, 2026.
Where does Saalbach Trail & Skyrace take place?
Saalbach Trail & Skyrace takes place in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria.
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